So, I've had Miss Mo for a year and a half at this point. Just over a month ago, I had a terrible ride, and I though you know, next time I'll put the western saddle on. Not really sure why I though that, just seemed like a good idea. This was the beginning of learning that Mo HATES english. I've been training her in dressage, she's almost a solid level 2 horse... hates it! I kept riding in the western saddle, added a western bridle and she's a different horse. She used to sweat on her head terribly, her whole face would be drenched... no more. She's sweet and compliant and not racing around as if her tail was on fire. It's amazing. So, we'll try her in western dressage this year, just for kicks. I have a young FEI dressage prospect that is being developed, so she's my fun horse. And she's finally fun again.I bought Mo, she'd been sitting in a field, so we actually bought the western saddle to bring her back into shape with. Then I'd throw it on occasionally, but not often. I've spent 30 years in English tack, it's foreign to me. She's 17 this year, and much of her history is lost to me, although her passport shows that she used to be a jumper for awhile.I'm so glad that I tried listening to my horse, and realized that she just needed to be a western horse. I know not everyone has the luxury of two horses, one which they can play with. Most people would just keep going, chalk it up to a bad day, and keep working with a miserable horse. My girl is now a pretty happy kid. Although she *is* on a diet, and that sucks :). As for me, I'm learning how to ride western, which really isn't all that different (she goes in a snaffle with split reins), and slowly stocking us with the gear we need to go show with (I've never met a horse show I didn't like, so I'm itching to get out there). She's getting a custom one ear bridle and matching reins, and I bought a different saddle, so I have to sell the other one, but at least I've sold her dressage saddle, so I'm still net zero.And lucky for me, I also have my big boy who is coming along smashingly. He, ironically, hates western saddles, do you know that they have strings that might bounce on your bum when you trot?! Yeah, shortly after that we decided to break him in an English saddle... good choice!See More

So, I've had Miss Mo for a year and a half at this point. Just over a month ago, I had a terrible ride, and I though you know, next time I'll put the western saddle on. Not really sure why I though that, just seemed like a good idea. This was the beginning of learning that Mo HATES english. I've been training her in dressage, she's almost a solid level 2 horse... hates it! I kept riding in the western saddle, added a western bridle and she's a different horse. She used to sweat on her head terribly, her whole face would be drenched... no more. She's sweet and compliant and not racing around as if her tail was on fire. It's amazing. So, we'll try her in western dressage this year, just for kicks. I have a young FEI dressage prospect that is being developed, so she's my fun horse. And she's finally fun again.I bought Mo, she'd been sitting in a field, so we actually bought the western saddle to bring her back into shape with. Then I'd throw it on occasionally, but not often. I've spent 30 years in English tack, it's foreign to me. She's 17 this year, and much of her history is lost to me, although her passport shows that she used to be a jumper for awhile.I'm so glad that I tried listening to my horse, and realized that she just needed to be a western horse. I know not everyone has the luxury of two horses, one which they can play with. Most people would just keep going, chalk it up to a bad day, and keep working with a miserable horse. My girl is now a pretty happy kid. Although she *is* on a diet, and that sucks :). As for me, I'm learning how to ride western, which really isn't all that different (she goes in a snaffle with split reins), and slowly stocking us with the gear we need to go show with (I've never met a horse show I didn't like, so I'm itching to get out there). She's getting a custom one ear bridle and matching reins, and I bought a different saddle, so I have to sell the other one, but at least I've sold her dressage saddle, so I'm still net zero.And lucky for me, I also have my big boy who is coming along smashingly. He, ironically, hates western saddles, do you know that they have strings that might bounce on your bum when you trot?! Yeah, shortly after that we decided to break him in an English saddle... good choice!See More

It has been a lovely day here in Alberta. Not too hot, not too muggy, sun is shining... horse was near the gate instead of a quarter mile out in the field...Havoc went out on the grass for a couple hours. We have a grass paddock that we can turn our horses onto, so I take advantage of it whenever I can. The kid just will NOT gain weight. He's doing his best to get to 17hh, he really shouldn't work so hard at it.But, I digress. Mo has been awesome these days. I rode her Thursday and it was totally awesome, we even played with some canter half pass... now let us not think it was show grade, but for a stubby legged little thing, it was awesome! Today started out nicely enough, we went for a walk on the track with some others to warm up. One of the other horses was acting up, so he went the other way schooling. Mo, however, was delightful, marching along with her head down.Back to the arena for some work. Walk and trot was lovely, although I should have known something was up when she didn't really want to leg yield back to the track to the right. I figured we'd start canter to the right since it's often her best side, and I wanted to do some counter canter work. Holy crap! What an insolent, nasty stinky girl! I hate those moments when you have to decide what exactly you are going to have to do here to bring everything around to where you can end on a good note.Tried walking, trotting, being relaxed, try again.... nope. Other direction? Yeah, that's not so bad, we can do that ... set up the canter to the right so that it's on the rail, small circle, good, STOP! And I took her back to the track which she marched along with her head lower that her withers for the most part, I'll chalk that up as a win. Ideal, no, but we maintained a good relationship, no one freaked out, we ended on something I could reward her for.Now the boy who went schooling the other way on the track was out there awhile. He hadn't been all that good in the ring either, although some of his work was good. So when they returned I asked his rider if they'd gotten through it. Well, not really. So, I said I think even Steffen Peters has bad days, move on. She needed that sort of perspective.Too often I think we forget that it's ONE day, ONE ride, there will be more. Some days you are the bird, some days you are the statue. I know for my horse, if you were to break trust with her, it's going to take one hell of a long time to get it back, so I've learned to find something good, stop the madness. Tomorrow is a new day. Thank you to all my horses for teaching me each day.See More

I've been travelling to the east almost every week for about 6 months now, although I'm currently on 4 beautiful weeks at home. Because of this, you can imagine that I'm not exactly getting a lot of riding in! My young horse continues his training with my coach, but my 'fool around' mare hasn't been getting out much.Finally we decided to pull her hind shoes and punt her into the field. Until I bought her, she'd really always been in a field, but it can be a major pain in the posterior when you are riding 5 times a week. Well, it was a darned good choice! After a week on the grass, her topline looked great, and she was a happy camper (once she enforced the new order of things... there's a reason I pulled those hinds...)Shortly after this, my trainer suggested we have a friend ride her, she's a very well trained FEI level amateur rider. And she loves the mares. Heck yes, good idea, let's do that. So, off I go for two weeks. I come back and jump on her, it was amazing, she was lovely, obedient, responsive, off the seat... for two rides... So, my trainer suggested I have a session with this rider to find out what she was doing with her.Now this is my HOT horse, double emphasis on that. I am told she's not quick enough! Insert total shock here. She tells me she rides her with a small spur and a long whip... astonishment. Then we start some exercises. Halt to walk.. 'not quick enough, tap tap tap!' And then I got it... the front end is quick, the hind end, despite it's close proximity to the front, not so much. Well heck, okay, we do that until she's appropriately responding. Then quarter turns on the haunches... 'not quick enough, tap tap tap'... I'm starting to see a pattern here. Back and forward at the walk... back and forward at the trot... bring the neck down, bring the neck up... adjust adjust adjust...Sure enough, the obedient, responsive, WAITING horse returned. We found the key to Mo! She stays very well with the rider if you never let her take over and never let her think too long. Lengthen canter and back off the seat, no problem! First level canter loop, no problem! Second level counter canter ... developing. This is my horse who used to get so agitated after a canter her head was in the stars... she's on the bit...I get it. So, every ride, we start confirming basics while warming up. She's happy. I'm thrilled. We're going to a little show next weekend to see if it holds. She might be my second level horse next year (would be nice if she didn't look pregnant by then). Not bad for my non-show horse who I fiddle on while my young guy gets trained up... he'd better thank her!See More